Ice tray grid



Jan. 29, 1957 Filed June 15, 1954 F. W. SAMPSON ICE TRAY GRID 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Frederick 14 Sampson His A rrorney Jan. 29, 1957 w. SAMPSON 2,779,166

ICE TRAY GRID 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1954 INVENTOR. Frederick W Sampson His A Home actuated by the hand lever of the structure.

United States Patent ICE TRAY GRID Frederick W. Sampson, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application June 15, 1954, Serial No. 436,875

1 Claim. (Cl. 62-1085) This invention relates to a method of assembling'and locking walls of .a grid structure together of the type adapted to be disposed in a tray of a freezing device for dividing the interior of the tray into a plurality of rows of ice block forming compartments.

In unitary grid structures for ice trays wherein a force multiplying means or lever is employed to move or tilt an end transverse wall of the structure through a link connection with such wall this wall has heretofore usually been of a slightly different design than other transverse Walls of the grid. That is a special design of opening or aperture has been required to be provided in this end transverse grid wall for the reception of the link or links to be This has necessitated the construction of two dies to produce all the transverse walls of a single grid assembly and therefore increases the cost of manufacturing a grid. I contemplate the construction of a unitary grid structure adapted to be removably disposed in an ice tray of a type wherein all of the cross or transverse walls of the grid are identical or at least each of these walls has identical apertures therein to eliminate the use of one or more specially shaped transverse walls and the expense of constructing the extra or additional stamping die required to produce same. In carrying out this aspect of the present invention I also contemplate a novel method of and arrangement for assembling walls of a grid structure in movable relation with respect to one another which arrangement interlocks the walls together and prevents disassembly of the structure.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved low cost grid structure for an ice freezing tray and a novel method of assembling parts thereof together against disassembly.

Another object of my invention is to provide a grid structure for disposition in an ice tray with a plurality of cross or transverse walls which are identical in construction and stamped or punched from a single die.

A further object of my invention is to provide an ice tray grid structure with an actuating bar or bars for moving identical substantially inflexible transverse walls thereof which bar or bars extend through closed walled apertures in the transverse walls and is or are locked in place to the structure at only two points along the length thereof.

A still further and more specific object of my invention is to utilize a lever operated link or links of a grid strucwill be apparent from the following description, reference 2,779,166 Patented Jan. 29',- 1957 being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a top plan view of an ice tray grid structure having my invention incorporated therein;

Figure 2 is a side view of the grid structure disclosed in Figure 1 showing walls of the grid in their normal ice block forming position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the grid structure showing a step in the method of assembling actuating bars into apertures in the transverse grid walls;

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3 and shows a step in the method of extending longitudinal partitions through apertures in the transverse grid walls;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 3 and 4 showing the longitudinal partitions lowered in place within the apertures in the transverse grid walls and showing the actuating bars moved over on top of the longitudinal partitions;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 2 showing spring clip filler members at one side of the actuating bars in the widest part of the apertures in the cross walls;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6 showing one of the spring clip filler members locking an actuating bar inpl'ace and preventing disassembly of the grid structure; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the insertion of a link into the widest part of an aperture in the cross wall nearest the lever end of the grid structure.

In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings I show a unitary movable walled grid structure for removable disposition in a pan or tray adapted tocontain water to be frozen and the grid walls are to cooperate with walls of the tray for dividing the interior thereof into a plurality of rows of ice block forming compartments. Operation of the grid structure herein disclosed, to tilt or move walls thereof, is substantially the same as that described in the copending application of Arthur I. Frei, S. N. 355,652 filed May 18, 1953, now Patent No. 2,714,294, and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The invention disclosed in this application relates primarily to an improvement in the art and particularly to a novel of assembling and locking parts of a grid structure together. The present grid structure includes two longitudinal twopart partitions or partitioning walls preferably diverging apart slightly from top to bottom and each having an outline shaped to fit loosely within a conventional freezing pan or tray. Each of the partitioning walls comprises a rigid or substantially inflexible metal longitudinal partition member 21 and a rigid or substantially inflexible narrow metal actuating means, strip or bar member 22 on top of and in substantially the same plane vertically with the partition member 21. Bar members 22 are arranged to slide longitudinally back and forth upon partition members 21 to engage and move or tilt a plurality of cross grid walls. A series of substantially inflexible cross or transverse metal partitions or walls 23 are loosely mounted upon or interlocked with longitudinal partitions 21 at their lower edges and upon the actuating bars 22 adjacent their upper edges in such manner that these transverse walls 23 may be tilted from a normally inclined position toward the vertical or swung forwardly and rearwardly relative to the stationary longitudinal partitions 21 when actuating bars 22 are moved back and forth along the length thereof. In the present disclosure all of the transverse walls 23 are identical in that they are of the same contour and have identical inclined elongated closed wall openings or apertures therein. These apertures are substantially keyhole shaped and are thus of varying ,width from their top to their bottom. The closed wall apertures in Walls 23 are to be distinguished from apertures in such walls provided With a slit extending from the opening or aperture to peripheral or bounding edge of the wall. By eliminating the slit extending from the aperturein a transverse grid wall to the periphery thereof such Walls are of increased structural strength and do not tend to bend or bow out of shape. Each. of the cross or transverse walls 23 of the presently disclosed grid have two inclined keyhole shaped elongated apertures 24 therein through which longitudinal partitions 21 and bars 22 loosely extend. These vertically elongated apertures 24 are bounded by closed walls and include a horizontally widened upper portion 26 and a lower narrow portion (see Figures 3 and 4) for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The tWo longitudinal partitions 21 of the grid structure have a series of spaced apart notches 28 cut in their lower edgesand receive a continuous bottom portion 29 of cross walls23 immediately below the apertures 24 therein.

Longitudinal partitions 21 also have a plurality of spaced z'apart "cut and bent out portions or cars 31 provided along the top-thereof and which serve as stops: to main- .a small shaft 34. A force multiplying means or stamped sheet metal lever 35 is pivotally mounted upon shaft or stud 34 and this lever has round openings in leg portions 36 thereof adjacent stud .34 receiving a second small shaft, studor pin 37. A pair of links 38 are pivotally mounted upon pin or shaft 37 and the notched end 39 of these links are so shapedas to be interlocked with the one transverse wall 23 at the lever end of the grid structure (see Figures 1 and 2). The two actuating strips or bar means 22 have open notches 41 suitably spaced along the upper edges thereof to loosely receive the continuous portions 42 of transverse walls 23 located above the keyhole shaped apertures 24 therein (see Figure 6). Notched end 39 of links 38 fit in and substantially fill the space between actuating bars 22 and a wall of the widest part 26 of apertures 24 in cross wall 23 at the lever end of the grid to lock the actuating bars 22 in place against disassembly at this end of the grid structure. A metal spring clip filling element or member 44 (see Figures 2 and 7) is located in the widest part 26 of apertures 24 inthe transverse wall 23, beside bars 22, at the opposite end of the grid structureto lock the actuating bars 22 in place against disassembly at this end of the grid. The clip elements or members 44 are each preferably formed of a shortflat piece of aluminum alloy ribbon which is heat treated to impart springiness thereto. However the clips 44 may, if desired, be formed from short fiat pieces of stainless steel.

The operation of the present grid structure is conventional and includes raising handle end of lever 35 relative to the grid whereby its other end pivots about shaft 34 and causes rotation of pin or shaft 37 around the axis of shaft 34. This elevates the one end of links 38 relative to partitions 21 and their notched end 39 thereby pulls on the upper portion of transverse wall 23, at the lever end of the grid structure, to swing or tilt this wall relative to partitions 21 toward the vertical. The initial movement of this first wall23 wedges end ice .blocks in a tray and grid against an inclined rear wall of the tray and causes the blocks to ride upwardly therealong. This breaks the bond between ice frozen in the grid and walls of the tray to thereby permit the grid together with ice blocks bonded thereto to be re- .moved upwardly of the tray. Continued upward swinging movement of lever 35 and movement of the endmost transverse wall 23 causes this wall to engage a wall of notches 41 in actuating bars 22 whereby all other of the transverse walls 23 of the .grid structure are swung or tilted relative. to longitudinal.partitions 21 and toward release ice blocks from walls of the grid. The notches 41 in actuating bars 22 are arranged to engage and move the transverse walls 23 one after the other in succession whereby 'a minimum of force is required to be applied to lever 35 to release only two ice blocks at a time progressively from the grid structure. This operation is not illustrated in the drawings because it is now conventional in the art and is described in the co-pending Frei application hereinbefore referred to. However the present structure differs from that disclosed in the Frei application in that the loosened ice blocks are free to fall out of the bottom of the grid.

The method of assembling transverse walls 23 of the grid structure in movable loosely interlocked relation upon the longitudinal partitions 21 and actuating bars 22 and of locking the bars 22 against transverse displacement with respect to partitions 21 is as follows. All of the identical transverse or cross walls 23 are held in spaced apart relation in a suitable fixture with the identically shaped apertures 24 therein in alignment with one another. The actuating strips or bars 22 are moved or extended through the apertures 24 in walls 23 and shifted upwardly therein so that the notc'hes41 in bars 22 receive or fit over the continuous portions 42 of each of the cross walls. The bars 22 are then moved laterally over into engagement with the one wall of the widest part 26 of the apertures 24 in w-allsr23 as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The longitudinal partitions 21 are now moved or extended through the apertures 24 in transverse walls 23 as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. The widest part 26 of apertures 24 ,in walls 23 provide ample clearance for passing the ears 31 on partitions 21 through the transverse walls (see Figure 4). When the notches 28, along the bottom of partitions 21, come into alignment with the continuous portions 29 below apertures 24 in transverse walls 23 the partitions 21 are shifted downwardly in apertures 24 so that the notches 28 straddle the cross wall portions 29. The lever 35, carrying both shafts or studs 34 and 37 from its legs 36, is moved into its respective position relative to the grid structure and ends of stud 34 are inserted into the holes 33 in raised part 32 of partitions 21. It being understood that the elevated ends-32pof partitions 21 can be sprung apart sufiiciently to permit the ends of stud 34 to be positioned in the holes33 without bending or permanently deforming the partitions. Then actuating bars 22 are moved horizontally, within the widest part 26 of apertures 24, back over or upon the top of longitudinal partitions 21 as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. It will be noted that if some means issnot provided for locking tl e actuating bars in the position shown in Figure 5 they may at any time become disassembled from the grid structure. In order to at all times avoid lateral displacement or disassembly of the actuating bars and to limit transverse movement of the bars relative to the longitudinal partitions 21 I now insert the spring clip elements or members 44 in the widest part 26 of the apertures 24 in transverse wall 23 at the end of the grid structure opposite its lever end (see Figures 6 and 7). The free ends of clips 44 are depressed as these clips are inserted and when released the curved or bent leg portions thereof spring against the top and bottom walls of the widest part 26 of the apertures 24 to lock the clips to the grid structure. I also tilt links 38 to the position thereof disclosed in Figure 8 of the drawings and insert the notched end 39 thereof into the widest part'26 of apertures 24 in the endmost transverse wall 23 at the lever end of the grid structure. The =links 38 are then rotated so that their notched end 39 enters and passes through the widest part 26 of the apertures in this end transverse wall. Thereafter the holes in the opposite end of the pair of links 38 are moved over reduced ends of shaft or stud 37 and these reduced shaft ends are peened or riveted over to secure the links 38 to legs 36 of lever 35 of the grid structure to complete .theaassernbling operation. It is to be understood that the vertical to enlarge theice block compartments and 7| :,the:;li nks 3.8 may, if desired, be; secured ,to the grid prior to the operation of attaching the spring clips 44 thereto.

Both links 38 and clips 44 lie in contiguous relation to the one side of actuating bars 22 and substantially fill the widest part 26 of apertures 24 in the two endmost .transverse grid walls 23 and yet permit free movement of parts of the grid structure. Also a portion of one leg part of each clip 44 overlaps the upper side portion of the longitudinal partitions 21 to aid in maintaining the actuating bars 22 in alignment vertically therewith. By locking the actuating bars 22 in place at only two points along the length of grid structure they are efiectively prevented from moving transversely relative to the longitudinal partitions 21 and are thereby maintained in substantially the same plane vertically as the partitions. This locking of the actuating bars and the method of assembling parts of the present grid structure saves considerable material and reduces the cost of manufacturing grids. The presently disclosed method of preventing disassem'bly of parts or walls of a movable walled grid structure eliminates the necessity of providing the grid with a third longitudinally extending locking strip or wall for the actuating means or bars 22.

In View of the foregoing it should be apparent that I have provided a grid structure with identical cross or transverse walls and have provided a novel method of assembling parts of the grid in movable interlocking relation with one another. By virtue of the transverse walls of the present grid structure being identical only one punching or stamping die is required to produce all of the cross walls therefor. The transverse grid walls all having identical closed wall apertures therein eliminates the necessity of slitting the walls from the apertures to a peripheral edge thereof for assembly purposes and increases the structural strength of these walls and so that they are not likely to be permanently bent or deformed. The actuating bars, the links, the clips and the widest part of the apertures in cross walls of the present grid are normally above ice blocks formed in the grid structure and these parts do not therefor bind in the ice and render it difficult to move walls of the grid.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted as may come within the scope of the claim which follows.

What is claimed is as follows:

A unitary grid structure adapted to be remova'bly disposed in an ice tray for dividing the interior thereof into rows of 'ice block forming compartments comprising, a longitudinal partition including a long wall member and an actuating wall mem'ber substantially coextensive therewith disposed thereabove, said grid also comprising a plurality of spaced apart walls extending transversely across and being movably interlocked with said partition wall members, means at one end of said grid structure for shifting said actuating wall member lengthwise along said long wall member of said partition, said actuating wall member having portions thereof adapted to progressively engage and move said transverse wall-s one after the other in "succession relative to said long wall member, each of said transverse walls having an elongated closed wall aperture therein, the aperture in each of said plurality of transverse Walls being identical in contour and of varying width from end to end thereof, said actuating wall members and said long wall member being extended one after the other respectively through the closed wall identical aperture in each transverse Wall during assembly of said grid, a spring clip inserted into the widest part of the aperture in a transverse wall at the end of the grid opposite said one end thereof in overlapping relationship with both of said partition wall members, and said spring clip substantially filling and reducing the width of said widest part of the aperture to that of the width of the narrowest part thereof for limiting lateral movement of said partition wall members with respect to one another at said opposite end of said grid upon shifting said actuating Wall member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 642,011 Sill Jan. 23, 1900 1,161,316 Jones Nov. 23, 1915 1,184,309 Berson May 23, 1916 1,346,426 Scherbner July 13, 1920 2,169,180 Jacobs Aug. 8, 1939 2,196,476 Reeves Apr. 9, 1940 2,313,932 Gerard Mar. 16, 1943 2,486,064 Sampson Oct. 25, 1949 2,587,233 Schweller Feb. 26, 1952 2,642,726 Frei June 23, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 493,959 Germany Mar. 17, 1930 

